Chapter 1

Synopsis

My greatest regret in this life was raising Xiao Chengli, that ungrateful wretch.

Gu Qinghe had been married into the Marquis of Dingyuan’s household for seven years. She served her elders, managed the family’s social affairs in the capital, and worked herself into a host of ailments.

He had barely earned a little military merit when he returned home with a woman from a brothel.

“Mother, Cui’er is carrying my child. Qinghe has been unable to bear me a child for years. Today, I mean to divorce her.”

Qinghe stood in the hall, her face drained of color. Her lips moved, but in the end she offered no defense.

I paid no heed to the two people kneeling on the floor.

Leaning on the coiling-dragon cane bestowed by the Emperor, I went to Qinghe and tucked the loose strands of hair behind her ear.

“The Xiao household is cold and murky. You needn’t keep sinking into it.”

I turned and instructed the steward, “Invite the elders of both clans. Today I will write Xiao Chengli’s divorce letter for him, and take Qinghe as my adopted daughter!”

1

Once I had spoken, the elders of both clans were summoned that very day.

We acted at once. In less than half an hour, the ancestral hall was filled. I sat in the place of honor, while Xiao Chengli and Cui’er remained kneeling on the blue-brick floor. The Shen elders exchanged glances; the Xiao elders looked uneasy.

I struck my cane against the ground and got straight to the point.

“We have gathered in the ancestral hall to settle two matters: strike Xiao Chengli’s name from the genealogy, and enter Gu Qinghe as my daughter.”

Xiao Chengli’s head snapped up. I gave him a cold look and did not repeat myself.

“Mother! You would cast your own son out of the family for the sake of a jealous, barren woman?”

The more he spoke, the more agitated he became. A vein stood out at his temple.

“Gu Qinghe has served you for years. I only discussed this with you gently, yet you’re forcing me into this! The child in Cui’er’s womb is the Xiao family’s bloodline. Do you truly mean to let the Xiao line die out for her sake?”

“There are plenty of worthy children among the collateral branches. Choose one of good character to adopt as heir, and the ancestral rites will continue.”

I paused, making sure everyone in the hall heard what I said next.

“But a son of mine, Shen Zhaoning, cannot be a man who pampers a concubine at his wife’s expense and repays kindness with betrayal.”

Xiao Chengli’s face turned deathly pale. Cui’er had already collapsed against his knee, sobbing.

“My lord, it’s all Cui’er’s fault. I shouldn’t have become pregnant and displeased the Old Madam and the First Madam…”

She wept pitifully, but her eyes kept darting toward Qinghe. As expected, Xiao Chengli followed her gaze and flew into a rage.

“Qinghe, why put on this pitiful act? If you hadn’t been whispering in Mother’s ear, would she be forcing me into this?”

Qinghe had been standing for a long time, her fingers so cold they had gone stiff.

“Mother, I… am willing to leave my husband’s family.”

I clasped her icy hand, my tone admitting no argument.

“Leave your husband’s family? You did nothing wrong. Once you walk out that gate, you will no longer be a daughter-in-law of the Xiao family. You will be Shen Zhaoning’s daughter.”

At last, the Xiao clan head could no longer sit still. He rose, leaning on his cane.

“Sister-in-law, Chengli has just earned military merit, and his reward is under consideration. If you cast him out now, what face will the Xiao family have left?”

I gave a cold laugh and swept my gaze over the Xiao elders.

“You may not know where his little bit of merit came from, but I do. Without the Shen family making arrangements at the Ministry of War, without Qinghe gathering provisions on the home front, he would never even have had the chance to go on campaign.”

Someone lowered his head, no longer daring to meet my eyes.

“If we do not amend the genealogy today, tomorrow morning I will submit a petition for an audience at the palace.”

I enunciated every word.

“I will ask His Majesty myself whether a man who favors his concubine over his wife deserves a court reward!”

The clan elders knew better than anyone who handled the military commendations. They also knew how Qinghe had sold her jewelry and gone everywhere borrowing provisions over the past few years.

When I finished, even those who had wanted to preserve the marquisate could find no argument. They could only watch Xiao Chengli lose his last support.

2

Silence fell over the hall. Even Cui’er’s sobs stopped. The Shen clan head rose first and set down his teacup.

“If Zhaoning has decided, then that is the Shen family’s decision as well. We will not conceal the disgraceful deeds of a man like this.”

The Xiao elders exchanged glances several times, but in the end none of them tried to dissuade me. Xiao Chengli finally panicked and crawled on his knees toward me.

He looked up, worry and fear in his eyes, his voice softening.

“Mother, I know I was wrong. Cui’er deceived me; I was only muddleheaded for a moment.”

Cui’er stiffened, unable to believe that he had blamed her in an instant. Xiao Chengli only stared at me.

“You gave birth to me and raised me. Am I worth less to you than an outsider? Would you truly abandon your own son for Gu Qinghe?”

When he was little and had done something wrong, he would always kneel like this, waiting for me to relent. Now all I saw was a man calculating how much more he could get from his mother.

“When your father was gravely ill, you secretly took the marquisate’s seal and used your connections at the Ministry of War. Otherwise, the title might never have passed to you.”

Several Xiao elders looked up sharply.

“When your father was on his deathbed, you were still out drinking with other men. I covered up that disgrace for you for years.”

Only later did I learn that the official he had sought out that night was the very man in charge of the succession documents. From then on, I understood that this son of mine had never cared much for family affection.

“You are not kneeling before me today because you regret what you did. You are afraid of losing the Shen family’s support.”

Looking at his ashen face, I made the final point clear.

“What you are kneeling to is not your mother. It is the Shen family’s power.”

He had not expected me to expose the old secrets he most wanted to hide. After a moment, he suddenly stood and laughed in anger.

“Fine! Very well! Since Mother insists on protecting an outsider, I’ll grant you your wish!”

He strode to the altar and snatched up paper and brush.

“Even without the Shen family, I, Xiao Chengli, can still make a name for myself!”

Then he went straight to the desk beside the ancestral hall and began writing, his brush moving in swift, forceful strokes.

“I’ll write the divorce letter myself, and I’ll remove my own name from the genealogy. Whoever wants this marquisate can have it!”